8 Things You Need to Know Today

1. Fast Food

AccelFoods is launching a $4 million niche investment fund that caters to companies at the intersection of food and tech. While the program might seem like more evidence of an accelerator bubble, VCs are pouring money into food startups at record rates. --Pando

2. Bitcoin Rules

New York State’s virtual-currency hearings wrapped up yesterday, and not without a small amount of progress. It’s good news for your business, if you ever plan to accept Bitcoin, not so much if you plan to open a Bitcoin exchange. --Inc.com

3. Super Branding

Audio product and equipment maker Beats has outfitted every player on the two Super Bowl teams with a $25,000 special-edition gold-trimmed version of its signature headphones. The pricey stunt points to the value brands place in aligning with the big game. --CNET

4. Savers on Board

Want to save on travel? Rocketrip, a Y Combinator startup, wants to help trim your budget by offering employees incentives for spending less on business trips. For every $2 they save, employees earn $1. --Techcrunch

5. Fans First

Retired professor John Glenney just became the first person to drive coast-to-coast in a Tesla Model S, using only the company’s free charging stations for fuel. Does your company inspire this kind of fandom? --San Jose Mercury News

6. Rate Rattle

The Federal Reserve Board unanimously decided to continue reducing its monthly bond-buying program, despite market skittishness in the U.S. and overseas. The program provided liquidity to markets and helped keep interest rates low, both good for small business owners, who may now wonder how they’ll fare in the months ahead. --WSJ

7. Your Mobile Future

If you’re not optimized for mobile or on Facebook, consider this your wake up call: Facebook is approaching 1 billion monthly active users and mobile ads accounted for 53% of its total ad revenue in the fourth quarter of 2013. --Mashable

8. Next Generation

Fair or not, millennials coming out of college have a reputation for being unprepared for the workplace. A new study shows at least they’re aware of their cluelessness. --Inc.com